


Of Trick-or-Treating and Brotherly Reluctance

by Reylinne



Series: Can't Be Saved - Modern Harringrove AU [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Billy and Steve dress up as Bucky Barnes and Captain America, Billy bickers with everyone, Billy is oblivious to his weird living situation, Fluff, Halloween Boyfriends, Halloween Harringrove, M/M, POST CAN'T BE SAVED SO READ T HAT FIRST, POV Billy Hargrove, Part of the Can't Be Saved Universe, Trick or Treating, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 16:43:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21139913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reylinne/pseuds/Reylinne
Summary: "Billy, stop, you know what I mean,""I don't though, do I?" He lets the costume fall sadly to the floor, nudging it with his socked foot. "Hop told me I gotta take the girls trick-or-treating and I promised Jane that I'd let her fuck off with her friends. So I can fuck off with you. Or fuck you, or whatever."Steve puts a hand on his hip like a soccer mom or some bullshit, and Billy fucking hates it when he does that. Looks at him all disapproving-like. "Why can't we all just go as a group?"Part of the Modern!AU inCan't Be Saved:)





	Of Trick-or-Treating and Brotherly Reluctance

**Author's Note:**

> **Spoilers for [Can't Be Saved,](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15056648/chapters/34905821) read that first for characterization to make more sense :)**

"I should have known," Steve sighs, but it's an affectionate sigh. 

"You act like there was a better choice," Billy smirks, holding out the gaudy Halloween costume and flapping it in the air. "I hope this makes your ass look great. I know mine doesn't, but when do cargo pants ever give anyone a nice firm cupping?"

Harrington's jaw hangs open like he doesn't quite know how to reply to that.

Good. That's the way Billy likes him best - speechless. 

Well, he also likes him drenched in sweat and panting, but that's beside the point.

Technically, moaning isn't the same as speaking anyway so...he's speechless then too.

_ That's beside the point.  _

Billy makes a gesture like, quite frankly, like he's grabbing someone's tits and it doesn't quite get the point across. When Steve blankly stares at him, Billy rolls his eyes and kicks off his sneakers. 

He'd shown up uninvited to the Harrington house, which isn't unusual per se, however, Steve had been particularly busy watching Hocus Pocus and he didn't want to tell Billy that. But Billy isn't a moron, he can see right through his quickly-thrown-on copy of the Shining.

"So you're gonna go with me, right?" Billy eyes the brunet, shoveling a fistful of popcorn down his throat. It's hot watching his fingers slide in between his lips hungrily, and Billy makes no effort to hide his lusting eyes.

"Uh, yeah,"

The response isn't quite what Billy's anticipated, and he can't quite tell if he's really just crashing Harrington's lame self-indulgent pity party or if he's upset about something.

"You don't want to go," Billy states. It's a fact, not a question. He doesn't need Harrington to try to justify it, either. "...with me."

"No," Steve sets his bowl down on the coffee table where Billy had stuck his gum about a week ago. "That's not it at all. I just...I promised Dustin. It's our first Halloween together."

Billy holds his hand out in a  _ wtf _ gesture. "Am I the shit stuck to the bottom of your shoe or…?"

Billy had agreed to be nice to the kids too many a time, but  _ fuck _ if he didn't want to kick Henderson's fucking braces in sometimes. First Halloween together. Cute. How about Steve's first Halloween with his  _ boyfriend _ ? Billy. That's him. He's right here. And Henderson can fucking suck a goddamn-

"Billy, stop, you know what I mean,"

"I don't though, do I?" He lets the costume fall sadly to the floor, nudging it with his socked foot. "Hop told me I gotta take the girls and I promised Jane that I'd let her fuck off with her friends. So  _ I _ can fuck off with  _ you _ . Or fuck you, or whatever."

Steve puts a hand on his hip like a soccer mom or some bullshit, and Billy fucking  _ hates _ it when he does that. Looks at him all disapproving-like. "Why can't we all just go as a group?"

"You're fucking missing the point here, Stevie! I want to go with  _ you. _ Just you. Go to a party or something. Yanno, be  _ adults. _ Because that's what we are.  _ Adults. _ At least I am, and as far as I remember, you're fucking older than me,"

"You  _ know _ I dislike parties,"

Billy points a polish-accented finger right into Steve's face, "You haven't been to a party since that one you threw here and that one  _ sucked!" _

Billy can see Steve's mind twisting in his eyes, and maybe he shouldn't have said anything. So naturally, he's gonna say more things and make it worse. Because he's Billy Hargrove and that's what Billy Hargrove does.

"I went to plenty of amazing parties in California when-"

"Oh. Yeah? Where you spread your legs for Eli? Or Danny? Or...help me, Billy, I'm forgetting all of the-"

Billy doesn't realise his hand is forcefully gripping Steve's jaw, pinching his cheeks until it's, well,  _ already there. _ It's something he has to work on. Oops. "Do not throw that shit in my face," The words are dark, oozing with malice. 

Steve is expressionless, which is good, Billy thinks, because he isn't  _ trying _ to be mean. He's just… naturally mean. And Steve is clearly done with his bullshit already today. 

Whatever. 

Billy tries weakly to make up for it by quickly packing Steve's lips, letting him go and taking a huge step back away from the brunet. Something is caught in his throat. Feels like ...a hairball?

Steve shifts his weight, adjusting his jaw and glaring at Billy with those stupid Bambi bitch eyes of his, the ones that an elementary school playground paraprofessional uses to discourage rowdy children. And it works ninety-nine percent of the time. 

Whatever is in Billy's throat is still there, clawing its way up. He half hopes it's a demon so it can just rip his head in half and kill him on the spot so that he doesn't have to suffer through that fucking stare Steve is giving him.

Oh, here it comes. "Sorry…" Billy spits, and suddenly he can breathe again.

A broad grin spreads quickly across Steve's lips. What a fucking punk. Fucking dweeby ass twiggy lookin'-

Billy's train of thought is interrupted by Steve yanking him by the pocket on the front of his hoodie, pulling him close on a collision course straight for his fucking body.

Billy hates hugs. But he will accept them from Steve. In fact, he quite likes Steve's hugs. They make him warm like nothing else quite can, but he has this problem of wanting to bend Steve over and ram his guts up through his mouth every time he's near him. So that always ruins the hug. But Billy is getting better at just accepting Steve's affection. Soft touches that Billy isn't used to, and is rather shitty at returning. Steve's cheek and jaw are red from Billy's angry error and it makes Billy feel like he's drowning. Fuckin' hates when he acts like that.

"It's okay," It's not. Steve nuzzles his chin into the crook of Billy's neck, right where his hood bunches up and it's perfect. He melts at the other boy's touch, and suddenly dealing with bitch-ass Dustin Henderson is sounding a lot sweeter. 

Hopper pauses, crunching on a pretzel rod, his gaze shifting from the TV. "Well, look at that," 

Billy would rather die than acknowledge Jim talking to him, so he adjusts one of his belts and leans up against the wall. 

"You look good, Billy," He nods his head and Billy pretends he can't see him.

"Jane should be done getting ready soon," Billy offers, continuing his attempt to fully ignore the chief.

"Did you just rub your eyes a lot or did you have to add more makeup? What are you, a dominatrix? Or is that just a woman? I don't know. It all looks the same to me,"

"Hop, I'm the fucking Winter Soldier, I'm gonna kick your ass into oblivion," Billy growls, aiming finger pistols at the man on the sofa. 

Hopper stares, continuing his chewing monotonously. "Right,"

They both switch their focus to the door a couple feet away opening, revealing Jane in her costume. Billy recognises her as someone from Overwatch, a video game that Steve and Dustin play. Billy could not possibly care less about it, but it's cute regardless. She poses, a fist in front of her. "Pow," she says, and Billy muffles a snort.

Apparently Hopper decided he wanted to go along trick-or-treating, and after Billy had argued to his last breath about leaving and going to a party if Hop was going to take the girls, he'd given up and trudged along. It's still too early in their living arrangement to be a total dick, after all, Billy still doesn't have a job to pay rent with. His arm has only been out of his sling for two weeks properly, and he's been putting off finding employment in favour of distracting himself with Steve's unmentionables.

Eventually, Hopper gives in with a huff, dropping the group off. Billy is sour about it, though, because now he doesn't have the Camaro to escape and he's going to have to walk his ass all the way to Harrington's.

"Aren't you three adorable?" Mrs. Wheeler smiles brightly, her eyes widening at Billy's costume. "You look great, Billy."

"Brother has the best costume," Jane smiles and Billy winces at the word, the girl turning around to grab at his gloved hand. He doesn't miss the expression of confusion on Karen's face as Jane drags him and Max with both arms into the Wheeler house. "Mike!"

Billy rolls his eyes, he'd rather shave his head than deal with the pair of them making googly eyes. He can't stand Mike Wheeler, thinks he's an annoying little prick and Billy knows Hop isn't crazy about him either. It's one of the very few things that he and the chief agree on.

He can feel eyes on him.

Billy turns and locks on to Karen, who is biting her lip. He forces a smile, pulling his phone out of one of the pockets on his pants and begins to text Harrington. He faintly recalls a conversation they'd had on the way to the hospital for Billy's final broken arm appointment. 

_ "Did you...did you fuck Mrs. Wheeler?" _

Billy chokes on his chai latte. _ "I'm sorry, did I  _ what?"

_ "Did you have sex with Mrs. Wheeler?" _

Billy's jaw drops, his tongue running along his canine teeth. _ "No." _

Steve's lips press into a firm line, definitely in disbelief. His foul expression is exposing him. _ "Did you want to?" _

_ "No, Steve, God," _

_ "Be fucking honest with me because if your dick has been-" _

_ "Fucking no!" _

Billy smirks. He'd seen Karen ogling at him from afar many a time, but Steve must have had some sort of confrontation with the woman. Otherwise it'd have been too out of left field. All of the kids scamper down into the basement and Billy turns, tightening his messy bun on the back of his head. He feels a bit lonely without his favourite scrunchie, but a purple polka-dot scrunchie is not very Deadly Assassin-esque. 

He sees his screen light up, his wallpaper a boomerang gif of him kissing Harrington's cheek. 

Fuck.

They're pretty fucking cute.

"How's life?" Billy asks awkwardly, popping a stick of gum in his mouth. He can't decide if he wants to fuck with Karen or if he shouldn't, because it'll probably get back to Steve and he already got so angry about it the last time.

"I'm sure you're not interested," Karen smiles sheepishly, sloppily pushing some of her hair behind her ear. 

He's not.

"I just asked, didn't I?" Billy grumbles, biting his tongue instantly after realising how aggressive he sounded.

Karen's jaw slacks, like she's taken aback by his attitude and his words, even if they clash completely. "Well, I've been a bit…" she trails off, wiping her hands on the apron she's sporting, "...bored."

Billy's eye twitches at that. Bored. He can practically hear Harrington in his ear:  _ Alexa, play 'break up with your girlfriend, I'm bored' by Ariana Grande. _

Billy does not know the extent of people's knowledge of his relationship with Steve. They're not really trying to hide it - Ms. Byers knows, Ms. Henderson knows, Hop and the kids know. Billy's social media followers should know if they've been paying any attention to what he posts and how it's completely Steve-centric because he's so fully fucking enamored it's ridiculous. 

Billy pulls out his phone and loads up his Instagram. He smiles, scratching his chin and staring longingly at the photo he'd posted of Steve playing in the leaves that Billy had raked for Hopper only after the world's longest standoff.

Billy had called the boy a loser, rolling his eyes at him creating  _ more work _ for him before the brunet lobbed a bunch of leaves lamely in his direction. Billy's arm shot up defensively as he was weakly pelted by orange and red, and as they fell back to the Earth, the view of Steve laughing was spectacular. His voice seemed to echo off all of the trees, sheer in the crisp morning. 

_ "You're dead," _ Billy whispered with a sly smile, tackling a giggling Steve into the leaf pile and tickling him until he swatted him away. He'd kissed Steve's lips pink and swollen then, brushing his chestnut hair away from his forehead and feeling each heavy breath as he suspended himself over top of the other.

Blond curls dangled in the air between them, framing Steve's flushed cheeks in gold. The look on his face was priceless. Billy's arms locked strong around him, Steve had reached up to twirl some of Billy's hair around his finger. Hot breath condensated between them in the chilly air, Harrington-

"Billy?"

Snap.

"Huh? Sorry," Billy quickly pockets his cellphone, feebly poking his eyelids in an attempt to not fuck up his eyeshadow. Not like it was supposed to look good - the Winter Soldier didn't sit and apply his eye black at the vanity in the morning.

"I asked what you've been doing all summer. Are you with me?" 

The tone of her voice is less  _ supportive mother _ and more  _ jump-your-bones _ , but Billy ignores it. "Uh, well, I had a few…  _ setbacks _ after I got back from California," He traces circles on the tile with his heavy combat boots, "I'm just looking for a job now."

"Do you...have a girlfriend?"

Billy's eyeline pans up to meet hers. "No, no I don't."

The wave of... _ relief? _ That floods her face is absolutely nauseating.

Steve's gonna shit his pants. 

"Oh. I see," Karen blushes, fixing her hair as if it's going to make the situation less awkward.

Billy pulls out a pack of Big Red and pops a stick, chewing it obnoxiously out of nervousness. "Ha," it's less of an actual laugh and more of a break in the silence. He licks his lips in the most modest way he could possibly imagine being able to, sliding towards the door Jane had disappeared into. 

He cautiously steps down some stairs leading into the Wheelers' basement. He feels like he's descending into the depths of hell with so many nerdy children around, can hear them yelling about miscellaneous video game shit that he cannot possibly understand. He tiptoes quietly, wants to quickly wave goodbye to Jane to let her know he's going to go meet up with Steve.

She's standing on the table doing a weird dance, like whatever trend kids do these days. Billy's barely out of high school and he already feels like he's behind the times. Mike is clearly salty, pointing at her and yelling weird shit.

"Eleven, you get down from there! You're gonna die or something and-"

"Yeah right, Mike, she's hella invincible," Sinclair - the one who breaks up with Max every other day - has his arms folded across his chest. "El could never die."

"El...lo chap! 'Ello mate! G'day!" The one Steve fusses over. Henderson. He's pointing frantically at Billy like he's just walked in on some sort of super secret government meeting.

Billy arches his pierced eyebrow. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" The group of kids is suddenly sheepish, Max quickly helping Jane get down from the table. They look like they've been caught with a bottle of their parents' booze, all wide-eyed and guilty.

Billy hates kids.

"Whatever, I'm leaving. Just wanted to say goodbye. So uh, bye J. I'll be back here at say..." he motions with his wrist, "...quarter to ten?"

"Dad will be angry," She whispers.

"Just the way I like him," Billy points to Mike, who's got his hands stuffed as deep as he possibly can into his pockets. "Make sure you wrap it up, toad boy, I don't want to have to tell the chief that you put a baby in her belly."

"Gross!"

"Billy!"

"Ew,"

Billy grins at the repulsed responses from the children, making his way back upstairs before pausing. "Oh, I forgot," he makes eye contact with Jane, "what's your costume called again?  _ Eleven _ ? Steve wanted to know but I don't know shit about-"

"Tracer," Four different voices answer him at once. 

Billy narrows his eyes at each of them before his stare lands back on his housemate. She looks like she's seen a ghost. 

"Tracer," he repeats, nodding and taking his leave.

Weird.

Fucking kids.

Billy  _ hates _ kids.

General dissatisfaction with children continues as Billy makes his way through the winding streets of Loch Nora. He passes tons of curious costumes. He passes a few Iron Mans, some more characters he can tell are from Overwatch but can't identify, a pair of Mafiosos, some Gladiators, miscellaneous goons dressed like they'd stepped out of the '80s. 

"Hey, Bucky!"

Billy halts like the good soldier he is and turns. It's a little voice, coming from a young girl holding the hand of who Billy assumes to be her father. She's dressed as the Black Widow, and her bright red hair sends a tinge of familial longing through Billy's veins. Would have been cute if Max dressed up with him.

She'd make a good widow.

Next time, maybe.

He waves to the girl, and lets her father take a photo of the two of them together.

Paparazzi. 

Nice.

Billy whips out his phone and texts Steve to let him know he'll be there in five. He's surprised to see a video from him; Harrington is always weird about sending him stuff. They've managed to maintain a snapchat streak of 63 days, Billy's current longest since he'd fucked up too many a time in the summer. 

The video is cute, it's Steve checking himself out in the full length mirror and hiking his tights a bit too far up his ass.  _ "I feel ridiculous, Billy," _

Billy's eyes narrow.

He looks delicious. 

Billy whips open the patio door, which has become his go-to for entering the house. Steve just leaves it unlocked for him. He feels a tad guilty for treading his dirty boots all over the Harringtons' plush rich-people carpet for only a moment before his brain scrambles at the sight of Steve coming down the stairs.

"Hey, Captain," Billy flicks his tongue at the brunet, swinging his helmet around with each step.

Steve suits Captain America. He looks a little goofy after he puts the helmet on, his hair poking out the bottom in chunks of chestnut, but other than that, he makes an excellent super soldier. 

Billy's gonna take him to pound town.

He waits for Harrington at the bottom of the stairs, holding out his arms to collect the boy in. Steve shoots him a questioning glare, hesitating before skipping the bottom two steps and letting Billy pick him up.

Billy wraps his arms around underneath Steve's ass and presses his chin against his stomach, looking up at him as he carries him out to the living room.

"What are you doing?" Steve laughs, planting his palms on Billy's shoulders. Steve isn't much taller than Billy is, but he still has a couple inches on him, so Steve has to duck his head down to avoid getting hit in the face by the light fixtures. 

"Say anything else and you're going over the shoulder," Billy fakes him out and Steve screeches, wobbling in his grip. 

Steve starts to reply but is cut off by Billy swiping his legs up and switching to carrying him bridal-style. "What are you doing?" He repeats, reaching up to to unclip his helmet and toss it lamely on the floor.

"Don't you remember this part of the movie?" Billy teases, nuzzling his nose against the other's cheek.

"I think we watched different movies,"

Billy stops walking, giving Steve a shocked glance. "You're right...it must have been a porn where Captain America gets railed. My bad,"

Steve flushes like he always does, even months into their relationship. His cheeks turn pink before it spreads down his neck. The faint color accents every one of his moles, speaking to Billy in a filthy whisper which ignites his fire even further. "Dustin is gonna be here soon, you fuckhead," But Steve doesn't move away as Billy sets him down on the soft couch. He grabs a fistful of Billy's leather collar, pulling him down for a kiss.

"We'll be done before he even gets here. You don't last long anyway," 

Oops.

That makes Steve shove him off, a slack jawed look on his face. "What do you mean I don't last long? I'm perfectly fine and normal when it comes to-"

Billy leans right back in and bites down on Steve's lip. Hard. Because he's a ravenous beast and he can't help himself. He's okay with self-control, but Steve wearing all that spandex is not doing anything in favour of it. 

When Harrington giggles like that, it makes it worse. It's like he's being tickled but he's not, like he's a giddy kid opening exactly what he wanted on Christmas. He laughs this little laugh and sometimes his body buckles with it, and it drives Billy absolutely  _ fucking insane. _

"Billy, c'mon, Dustin will be here soon-"

"Dustin knows what a dick looks like, it's fine,"

Steve snorts. "It is _ not _ fine! At all!" He clamps his hand down on Billy's wrist which is currently pinning him to the sofa, but he doesn't attempt to move it.

"I am obsessed with every part of you," Billy coos, dragging his fingertips up the inside of Steve's thighs. He plants soft kisses along Steve's jawline before digging his teeth into a soft space along the column of his pale neck.

"Fuck you," The brunet is melting, becoming one with his couch and Billy is twenty seconds from being totally delirious with want.

He pulls away and eyes Harrington, his eyes blown wide in reciprocation, hair messed up and hanging off the edge of the cushion. He looks fucking  _ amazing,  _ like the most beautiful sight Billy's ever seen. Just wants to squish him.

"Ugh," Billy groans, sitting up on his knees and pulling his vibrating phone out of his pocket. "What?" He barks into the microphone. 

"Will you just come with us?"

It's Max.

"Why," It's not even a question, it's more of an angry quip, like Billy isn't even looking for an answer. He just wants to launch the cellphone.

"Jane really wants you to. And well, so do I. Sort of,"

Billy pauses, shifting his gaze down to Steve, who has his arms extended above his head and is playing with the strands of his brown hair, looking all seductive and like he needs a good dick-down. 

"...Please?"

"Fuck!" Billy hollers, startling the dazed Steve below him. "We're going fucking trick-or-treating." He quickly scampers to his feet, hanging up the phone and shooting Harrington a glare.

"Wha-"

"This is  _ your _ fault," Billy points a finger accusingly at the other, who is smoothing out his costume as he rises from the couch. 

"Oh, and how is it my fault?"

"You wanted this."

Steve smirks, giving his shoulders a shrug. "Well, yeah, I did,"

"And you asked her to call me,"

"No, I did no such thing, asshole," He folds his arms across his chest, "Calm down." 

Billy squints at his boyfriend, reaching to grab his helmet and throwing it at him full force. "Fuck you too," he spits before lowering his voice, "do you have a pillowcase I can borrow?"

Harrington stares blankly for a moment. "Yes, Billy," And the words are oozing with false kindness, because of course they are, because Harrington is a fucking bitch. 

Fuck.

Billy loves him so much.

Wants to fucking  _ squish  _ him.

"I hate you," Billy mumbles when Steve returns from upstairs, plastic shield in one hand and two star-spangled pillowcases in the other.

"What? My parents have the dumbest shit, and I can't pass this opportunity up,"

"I mean it," Billy stomps like a child out the front door, letting Steve press a kiss to his forehead before stuffing the key into the lock.

"You're supposed to be with me 'til the end of the line, remember?" Steve smirks over his shoulder, and he's fucking cute.

Billy could smack him for being  _ so cute.  _

Ugh.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Cap," 

"Let's go, soldier. Ready to comply?"

Billy puckers his lips and growls, "Fight me,"

"Perfect." Harrington grins broadly, grabbing Billy's gloved hand and tugging him out to the bustling street where a group of nerds awaits.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends! I'm leaving the country tomorrow so I haven't had time to properly go through this and edit it, but I won't be back until November and I didn't want to waste this tidbit. I hope you'll all enjoy reading the miscellaneous adventures of these boys in this Modern!Universe, because I'm totally not done with them yet. Much love!


End file.
